


Ferelden Flowers

by Sweets_Thief



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-01
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-07-28 18:15:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7651387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sweets_Thief/pseuds/Sweets_Thief
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carver wants to give flowers. He has no idea what he's doing really.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ferelden Flowers

**Author's Note:**

> Carver/Merrill is a good ship /o/  
> For Kyle (kirkwxll on tumblr)

 

 

“Why don’t you just give her the flowers?” Garrett asked from where he perched on the drawers, his legs waving lazily as he watched Carver look over the flowers he had collected.

“Well she knows flowers doesn’t she?” Carver replied, “Of course she does. I can’t just give her random flowers what if I insult her?”

Garrett laughed, “Oh mother would love you help you with the language of the flowers. Maybe you can practise on Gamlen? Make him smell better.”

Carver flushed and rounded on Garrett, who was still laughing. “If you’re not going to help get out!”

“What do I know about flowers?” Garrett inquired, with a shrug and a grin, “Look Carver if you’re going to woo her you need to make a move. Merrill is wilful.”

“I never said I wanted to woo her!” Carver snapped defensively, “I just want to give her flowers.”

“Yeah sure, because nothing says friendship like a bouquet of ‘lust’.” Garrett teased, gesturing to the flowers lying at the end of the bed. Carver frowned and glanced between Garrett and the flowers.

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“That’s Harlot’s Blush.” Garrett explained, shifting his legs and crossing them atop the dresser. “It’s used by the Blooming Rose to make perfume and it means lust. The majority of the flowers you’ve got are Harlot’s Blush.”

“So you do know about flowers!” Carver snapped, his face bright red. “Why didn’t you tell me when I started picking them?! And how do you know the brothel uses them?!”

“I know a lot of things,” Garrett shrugged, “Being friends with Varric has perks.”

Carver made a disgusted noise and brushed the flowers to the floor. “What am I going to do? She definitely knows flowers.”

“You’ve already said that.” Garrett pointed out, pulling a dog biscuit from his pocket and tossing it into the air. His Mabari howled and jumped into the air, grabbing the biscuit out of mid-aid and knocking into a table. The table tumbled and fell over, spilling white gardenias all over the floor.

“Ah! Stupid dog,” Carver cried, gathering up the flowers. Garrett jumped from the drawers and moved forward to help him. Carver’s fingers were trembling as he reached for the flowers, and Garrett could see the fiery blush in his cheeks.

“Were these the original flowers you wanted to give her?” Garrett asked softly, a small bunch of Gardenia’s in his hand.

“Does it matter?” Carver snapped defensively. Garrett raised an eyebrow at the outburst. “Sorry. There was a girl selling them in Lowtown so I bought them. But they’re tattered, they’re not real flowers. I, didn’t think I could give them to Merrill. She’d want real flowers, surely.”

Garrett examined the flowers. They were indeed false flowers and some of them were a little tattered. There were some good ones though, and Garrett took the rest of the bunch from Carver’s shaking fingers to truly look them all over.

“Not all of them are bad,” He said, “These would be alright to give her.”

“No they wouldn’t.” Carver snapped, “She loves wildlife, she wouldn’t want fake flowers!”

“Have you smelt the air of the Alienage?” Garrett inquired, amused, “It’s a surprise that elven tree grows there. Real flowers wouldn’t last down there.”

“So you…think she’d like fake flowers?”

“’ _Gardenia’s symbolise secret love, or that the recipient is lovely in the giver’s eyes. They are the flowers to give to symbolise your love and devotion to someone without the recipient knowing who the flowers came from. The white colour of the Gardenia signifies purity.’”_ Garrett spoke as if he was reciting something and Carver couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows in surprise and disbelief.  
“What? I read.”

“About flowers?” Carver questioned, sceptically. “Really?”

“We didn’t have a lot of books in Lothering okay? And I couldn’t just, waltz into the Chantry to borrow more.” Garrett said defensively, “Not that it matters. The Gardenia wouldn’t be an insult to her. Tell you what, I’ll ask Merrill to come with me on an adventure, and while we’re gone, you go to the Alienage and leave the Gardenia’s there. We can ‘meet’ on the way back and you can see her reaction.”

“No. Absolutely not.” Carver shook his head, grabbing the Gardenia’s off Garrett and standing up. Garrett followed him, stretching. “I’m not breaking into her house.”

“Fine,” Garrett yawned, “Give it to her straight.”

Making another noise of disgruntlement Carver sighed and turned to Garrett. Garrett was grinning, smugly, because he knew Carver was going to agree with his plans. “She’s going to hate them.”

“Look Carver, I know you’ve got this…crippling feeling of inadequacy but if you don’t do this you’ll just be moping around for the rest of your life. I think you’ll be surprised.” The older Hawke complained, “So take the chance. I’m offering you a golden opportunity.”

Carver tutted, but as he began sorting out the flowers Garrett knew he had won.

//

“That was really fun Hawke!” Merrill exclaimed as they wandered back towards the Alienage. “I’ve never seen a grown man run so fast.”

“Spiders are the work of evil.” Garrett replied seriously.

“Oh they’re not so bad! They do good things as well! Oh…that was a joke wasn’t it? Oops.”

Garrett and Varric laughed, Fenris smirked and Carver forced a smile. He was nervous, Garrett could tell, as they got closer to Merrill’s house.

“You don’t have to walk me all the way home you know,” Merrill continued, “I can find my way now.”

“Says the girl who got lost in the Alienage, the smallest part of Kirkwall.” Varric pointed out, amusement in his tone, “We’re taking you the whole way Daisy.”

“Aww Varric you’re so sweet.” Merrill smiled, “It’s just different that’s all. I wasn’t expecting it to be so big and yet so small at the same time. I wish there was more dirt, like Ferelden. I miss the weather.”

“It wasn’t always great.” Carver put in after Garrett surreptitiously stood on his foot to make him get involved. “The rain could be terrible.”

“But it was so refreshing as well. The sun shines a lot here and everything smells of the sea. Dirt, it’s got a very refreshing smell, like everything is definitely alive! I loved running in the rain through the trees, especially when no one else was around it made me feel so alive…oh I’m rambling again. Sorry.” Merrill flushed a little and skipped ahead. Garrett nudged Carver forward, gesturing with his head for him to walk next to Merrill, take the initiative and talk to her. Carver did, stumbling a little in his nervousness.

“You know Merrill, I miss Ferelden as well.” Carver began, “Even the dirt.”

“I forget you’re from Ferelden, you think the accent would remind me.” Merrill mused, “That rough accent, but you have a certain posh accent as well.”

“Must be the Amell in us.” Garrett piped up, laughing as Carver shot him a dark look.

“What do you miss the most about Ferelden?” Merrill asked, ignoring Garrett.

“The flowers.” Carver said quietly, “Flowers don’t really grow properly here.”

“Oh you got some really good flowers in Ferelden. I wish I could have brought some with me when I came to the Free Marches. Some of the flowers here are so…harsh.” Merrill agreed heartily. They had reached her house as they had been speaking and Merrill opened the door quickly, entering first. Carver followed her, followed by Garrett, Fenris and Varric.

On the small table in the middle of Merrill’s room stood a vase. The smell of fresh earth hit the party as they walked in, but the flowers in there were the white Gardenias that Garrett’s Mabari had accidently uncovered. Carver stopped walking as Merrill noticed them, and walked slowly towards them, surprised and shocked.

“Gardenias.” She murmured, reaching out and stroking the petals. “Oh. They’re not real.”

Carver winced and glanced at Garrett with a mixture of annoyance and hurt. Garrett’s expression was for once neutral, and his eyes were fixed on Merrill.

“I’ve never seen flowers like these before they look so nice! Flowers barely ever grow in Kirkwall but these flowers will last forever!” Merrill gushed. “Varric was this you?”

“Not me Daisy, I don’t know flowers.” Varric shrugged.

Merrill glanced then at Carver and the penny seemed to drop. Carver looked embarrassed.

“Well now you’re home it’s time for us to leave.” Garrett said loudly, ushering Fenris and Varric towards the door. Before Carver could say anything the door shut firmly, leaving him alone with Merrill.

Merrill picked up the vase and inhaled gently. “That’s real Ferelden earth. Where did you get it?”

“Mother…managed to bring a potted plant from home with us. It’s not really…doing well so I borrowed some of the dirt.” Carver admitted.

“I love them Carver, thank you.” Merrill said quietly, “Thank you. They’ll make my house so vibrant the entire year, and they’ll never die. It’s such a thoughtful gift.”

“Oh umm…well you can thank Garrett for them,” Carver said a little spitefully, “It was his idea really.”

“Hawke’s nice but I don’t think this is really his touch.” Merrill disagreed, “He’s not really the sort of person to give flowers, he’s much more of a physical person. This was a gift from your heart Carver and I love them. Thank you.” She came over to him and stood on her tip toes, kissing his cheek gently. Carver froze, then jumped when a drop of water fell on him. “I’m sorry!” Merrill exclaimed, “When it rains it leaks through the holes in the roof.”

Carver couldn’t help but smile as he looked up. “How about I fix those for you?”


End file.
